Sweet Wishes
by fairytalewishes
Summary: Luke and Lorelai are happily married with a family, but something seems to be haunting Lorelai. Could it be her fallout with Rory? I'M BACK 4 YEARS LATE! READ!
1. Chapter 1

A/N So this is my new gilmore girls fiction. Hope you like it!

This is set some time after season 3 where Rory enters Yale. Read the story and find out more.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the cute kids.

* * *

The first signs of daylight poured through the window of the bedroom, the house was at a complete standstill as Luke took a breath and admired the quiet.

It didn't stay quiet long though, within moments of releasing his breath he could hear the soft patter of feet on the hardwood floors outside the room. The door burst open and a small girl came bounding in, her curly brown hair whipping behind her. Luke felt the weight of the bed shift as the girl pounced over his wife and landed square on his chest.

"Ouch, geez Stella." He yelled while attempting to move her knee, which was pressing into his gut.

"Hurry up Daddy! You promised to take me with you when you opened the diner today." Stella moved closer to Luke now and he could feel her warm breath as she stared him down with her deep blue eyes.

A noise arose from the other side of the bed as Lorelai turned to face her husband but was pleasantly surprised to see her young daughter having a staring contest with Luke, "Stelly, what are you doing up so early silly girl?"

"Daddy promised me that he would take me with him when he opened up the diner today and I didn't want him to try to sneak out like he did last time." A wide smile spread across her face as she slipped off Luke, allowing him to breath again.

"Estella Annabelle Danes go get dressed before I wring your little neck for waking me up so early." Luke said as he swatted his daughter's butt away from the bed.

Stella ran out of the room as Luke sighed, "Thank God she's gone. I better get up and get ready before she comes charging back in here threatening to steal the pens that I take orders with."

* * *

Lorelai laid in bed listening to the house as it settled from the light breeze that was blowing in the early May air. She thought about her life, her children, her Luke, and her Rory.

It had been ten years since Lorelai had seen or talked to her oldest daughter. Those ten years had been the longest ten years in her entire life. She dreaded thinking about the atrocious night when Rory's screams masked her tearful cries.

A harsh crash knocked Lorelai out of her daydream and back into reality. She was a mom; she couldn't sit around dreaming about the past, she needed to worry about the present.

Pulling herself out of bed Lorelai slowly made her way downstairs towards the kitchen. Boyish voices grew louder and louder as she got closer, it was then when she realized the twins were up to no good.

She was not particularly in the mood for one of their little arguments, but as their mother and as the peacekeeper of the house until Luke got home, she forced herself to go into the room.

The sight she came upon shocked her, her two sons sat at the kitchen table with various types of cereal scattered about them. Bryce was the first to notice her entrance in the room.

"Good morning mom, I hope our yelling didn't wake you up." He said, while trying to wipe a devious grin away from his face.

"Eli and Bryce who the hell made this huge mess?" She hollered at the two who devilishly smiled back at her.

"It was all Bryce's fault mom, I wanted nothing to do with anything he was planning." Eli stuttered back to his mother, he pointed a shaking finger at his twin.

Lorelai rubbed her temples while trying to not kill both of them at that exact second, "I am going to ask you one last time, what were you two doing that caused this mess?"

They sat there a second picking at the crumbled pieces of Fruit Loops lying on the kitchen table. Eli decided to speak first, "Well mom, you see Bryce wants to teepee Taylor's house and he wanted me to help him. I told him no, I didn't want involved in his immature antics. He got mad at me and threw some Fruit loops at me," he said gesturing towards the cereal that lay scattered on the table.

"Mom I was only acting in self defense you see.." Lorelai stopped Bryce in mid sentence.

"Listen you two, I want both of you to clean this mess up right now." She said turning towards the already running coffee maker. "Oh and by the way Bryce, if you want to teepee Taylor's house I suggest that you do it before midnight, his security cameras turn on after that."

* * *

Luke stood behind the counter at the dinner looking out the window. He couldn't help but think about how absent Lorelai had been the past few weeks. She kept pushing him and the twins away, but kept reaching out for Stella.

He looked towards his daughter who was sitting innocently at a stool coloring a picture. He was amazed by how much he looked like his wife, how much she acted like her, but there was one quality in her that was different and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

His thoughts were disturbed by the shrill ringing of the bells at the door to the diner.

"Mommy!" Stella jumped out of her seat and ran over to where Lorelai was standing.

Luke watched his wife wrap his daughter into a tight embrace and pull her close to herself. Lorelai buried her head in Stella's thick brown hair, letting herself relax in the arms of her six-year-old.

It was at that point Luke realized the thing that he had been missing all along.

Stella was her replacement Rory.

* * *

So what did you think!? Review and tell me! 


	2. Chapter 2

_Ilvgilmoregirls:_** hmm how does Luke usually handle things?**

_LorelaiVictoria:_** I promise you will find out what happened to Rory really soon!**

_A-Karana:_ **Thanks! I don't I revealed too much, it was necessary to tell you that early, you'll see soon.**

_Chants:_ **Thanks! I will try and update at least every other day.**

_LorLukealways: _**Thanks so much!!! I promise you will find out about the fight really soon.**

_Forsaken Goddess:_ **I totally agree with what you are saying about Luke and Lorelai not being okay, I really hope that they aren't perfect. And thanks a bunch for adding!**

_Henantz:_**I will tell you really really soon what happened with Rory! Cross my heart.**

_Buffyangel47:_ **Thanks I will!**

_The Mrs.Ventimiglia:_ **First of all, I love your name. Second of all this is NOT the season five fight. It is something completely different; it is a fight I made up. Hope you still like it.**

_Curley-Q:_ **If your name is referring to curly hair, I know how it feels. I have ringlets too! Thanks too!**

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the kiddies. 

* * *

Lorelai released her grip of Stella before picking her up and walking over to the counter where Luke was staring in disbelief.

She held her daughter tightly on her lap while playing with her loose curls, "Wow Stelly your hair is extra bouncy today."

"I know Mommy, it's always curly. Just like your hair."

Lorelai nuzzled herself up against Stella and muttered under her breath, "Just like mommy's."

Luke continued to sit there watching the close reaction between the mother and daughter, he had seen it before and it was so familiar. He choose to ignore how much Lorelai depended on her six-year-old for happiness just like she had depended on Rory for happiness. He couldn't deal with it. "Lorelai sweetie, can I talk to you in the storage room real quick?"

Lorelai rolled her eyes at him and nodded her head hastily.

* * *

Once in the storage room Luke pushed the door closed before pulling Lorelai into a close embrace, smashing his lips against hers. To his surprise her body buckled against his and he felt her lips tighten.

"God Luke, we are in the storage room, and if I remember correctly it was because of this place we have two nine-year-olds." She said while sliding away from him and crossing her arms.

He looked her right in the eyes and shuttered from the fact that there was nothing in her eyes, no love, no passion, nothing that his Lorelai possessed "Jesus Lorelai what the hell is wrong with you. All you do is push the boys and I away but yet you pull Stella in more and more."

She closed her eyes and left out a heavy sigh then let her head roll back towards the ceiling, "I can't deal with this right now Luke. I can't handle one of your freak outs."

"Wha.. what do you mean Lorelai? You can't do this right now? You can't be a mother or a wife? Well here is a reality check for you, you're both of those so deal with it and get over whatever the hell is bothering you." He stepped away from her, stunned what had just come out of his mouth.

"Lorelai I am so sorry, I didn't mean anything I just said."

She held up her hand to stop him, "Forget it Luke I don't even care." She turned around and was gone, slamming the door behind her.

Luke waited a few seconds before walking out the same door himself; sitting at the counter still was Stella, she was still sitting there coloring the way she was seconds before the screaming match. He stood around the corner for a second and watched her almost waiting for her to notice him herself but she didn't stir one bit just continued coloring.

"Hey Cesar I am going to need more ketchup. Can you please remind me to call and order it," he walked out to the counter and began to scan the room for the town gossipers. He knew that the screams were loud and that the entire diner probably heard him holler at his wife.

"Oh daddy, you just missed mommy, she ran really fast out of here after saying that she was going to be at the inn all day and late tonight." His daughter looked at him, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight that was shinning through the diner's window. It was at that minute Luke wished he could keep her small forever.

He looked and could stand being around her at this time, he needed his space too, "How about we get you off to Miss Patty's for dance lessons?"

* * *

Lorelai sat in her car around the corner from Luke's, unable to move. She sat there and looked at the steering wheel for what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds. She fought with Luke and that killed her. Hearing his voice like that, seeing his eyes glow the way they did, it reminded her of Rory. Though they may not be genetically related they sure as hell took after each other in the temper region.

Lorelai sat there and thought about how it was late at night when Rory erupted into a fit of screams, throwing things and cursing as Lorelai sat on the couch pulling herself closer and closer into herself. Rory didn't want to believe her that she was throwing her life away, but that was her problem now.

It killed her that her oldest daughter, the girl who in sense helped her grow up, wasn't there to see Lorelai get married to the man of her dreams. She wasn't there to greet her younger brothers to the world or to see the fight between her mother and stepfather over the names that her brothers would carry through life.

She didn't get to help Lorelai through the difficult pregnancy Estella put her mother through before coming into the world a whole two months early. Rory missed it all and it was slowly pulling Lorelai apart inside whenever she thought about it.

But what hurt the most was the fact that she didn't know that she had siblings or a stepfather at all, she ran long before Lorelai could even think of telling her the good news.

Lorelai sat in her car and allowed the tears to roll down and smear her makeup. She didn't care anymore, her husband was mad at her, she didn't know her sons, and she was so dependent on a little girl it scared her.

* * *

Luke pulled his truck up to the house and sighed, it had been almost a week since the argument at the diner, Lorelai had distanced herself from him but paid more attentions to the twins than usual. He knew that tonight would be no better; in about an hour he was about to be attacked by the Gilmore's. Since his marriage to their daughter they may have eased up on him quite a bit but they still managed to let him know that he was not from the same social class as them.

He let himself into the house where loud music and the musical Annie playing across the TV in the living room greeted him. Taking a deep breath he quickly cleaned up the mess and shut off the music and TV and followed the smell of sweet perfume up stairs.

Eli and Bryce stood in their doorways in neatly pressed corduroys and dress shirts arguing about something that only they would understand.

He walked by ignoring them and continued on to the master bedroom where Stella was spread out across the master bed playing with her dress and Lorelai sat reading a magazine.

"Well hello ladies, it's nice to see you." He said reaching over to place a kiss on Lorelai's cheek but she pulled away at the last minute.

"Oh hey Luke. Are you going to be ready soon or else we will be late."

"Just give me one minute and I will be ready."

* * *

Forty-Five minutes and five unsettled arguments later they were at the Gilmore residence in Hartford. Luke killed the engine and turned back to the kids who didn't seemed to enthusiastic to be giving up their potentially eventful Friday night.

"C'mon kiddies, its not like I am asking you to enroll and go fight in war!" Lorelai laughed at her young children who were all forcing their small mouths into the classic Gilmore pout.

Luke turned back and looked at his children, "Go ahead guys Mom and I will be in in a minute."

The car doors opened and kids spilled out, slamming the doors particularly hard. He knew it was Bryce; he tended to be like Luke when it came to displaying his anger.

Lorelai stared straight ahead to where the kids anxiously fought over who was going to be allowed to ring the doorbell, Eli eventually won.

She was knocked out of her gazing by Luke who had shifted all his attention to her, "Lorelai we need to talk. You haven't said more than twenty words to me this week."

There was silence for a while before she finally answered; her voice was small and almost unrecognizable to her husband. "I have nothing I want to say to you."

* * *

Well there it is, chapter 2! Review and tell me what you think. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Brazzlefrat**: Thanks, I am glad you like it! I know everyone wants to know what is happening between the mother/daughter duo.

**Cade**: I promise you that Rory did not die though at times I wish she would.

**Henantz**: I hope that you are not actually dying because I prefer to not go to jail for manslaughter before I can go to med school haha. I will except any bribes!

**Curley-Q**: I hate the way Lorelai is acting towards Luke but when you find out why she is acting that way you may sympathize with her.

**LorLukealways**: Agreed, Lorelai is being a bitch. She does need to open up and I swear it will happen soon.

**LorelaiVictoria1611**: Thanks! I kinda wanted it to be sad, this is obviously not going to be a happy story. Luke and Lorelai will talk but I don't know when Rory will make her apperance.

**Ilvgilmoregirls**: Sad I know. They will work it out, don't they always.

**The Mrs.Ventimiglia**: They do need to make up! I don't know when Lorelai and Rory will make up but I do know that Luke and Lorelai will make up soon.

**Amethyst:** Thanks so much, part of the reason I wanted to write this story was because I didn't think that a lot of the people who write on this board don't stay true to the real Luke and Lorelai. I mean their marriage is obviously not going to be perfect and they aren't going to have a huge happy family. Thanks so so so much!

**A/N: I had the worst day ever. I mean there were a lot of tears shed and I don't think I have ever sobbed in my life but today there was a lot of that. All of my anger, fear, sadness and frustration came out in this chapter. I am sorry in advance for the extreme angst.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the adorable kids. 

* * *

Lorelai opened her car door and slammed it hard, shaking the entire car and Luke. He watched her pound her way over to the massive front door that lead into the icy hell also known as the Gilmore house. Shuttering he tired to push away the thoughts that began to cloud his mind and attempted to lose the look of distress that was spread across his tired face.

Shivering in the cool May breeze that wrapped itself around him, Luke strode across the black asphalt and to the large oak door the overwhelmed him in size. Knocking softly on the door he wondered if the maid had even heard the noise. The door swung open and Emily stood in front of him with a look of displeasure spread across her face.

"Come in Lucas." Her harsh tone stung Luke's ears as he shrugged off the light jacket he was wearing. He wondered to himself, was it possible Lorelai told Emily that she and Luke were having a fight or did his late appearance into the Gilmore house set Emily off? Shaking away the thoughts he looked into the living room where he saw his wife and his two boys sitting quietly on the couch. Stella was squirming in the lap of Richard, telling him a story of one of her adventures of the week. Sitting down in an armchair across from the couch Luke looked at Lorelai and feebly smiled at her but was only returned with a harsh scowl.

Emily had now entered the room and sat herself down on the couch with her husband and granddaughter, "So boys how has your week been?"

Eli and Bryce exchanged looks and answered back rambling on about baseball and swim practices. To Luke's relief the kids continued to talk until the maid walked into the room announcing that dinner is served in the dining room. The family walked the short distance to the grand dinning room and took their usual seats around the table. Through the entire meal pleasant conversation was exchanged until the plates were finally cleared and the eyelids of the children began to grow heavy.

Lorelai was the first to take notice at the yawning Stella next to her, "Well Luke, I think it is time we get the kiddos home before they fall asleep here on my mothers extremely expensive tablecloth." She helped the children from the table and out to get their lightweight coats.

Before Luke could stand up and help his wife Emily turned towards him, anger blazing in her eyes, in a hushed tone she questioned Luke, "do you mind telling me why you and Lorelai did not say more than three sentences to each other the entire evening? Why in the world has she been acting so strange lately? Is she pregnant again Luke?" Her questions shot at him as he sat there in disbelief staring at his mother in-law.

Stuttering he allowed himself to answer quietly, "I honestly don't know what you are talking about Emily. Lorelai is perfectly fine." He winced, waiting for Emily to catch him in his lie but she accepted the explanation before rising from the table.

* * *

The entire car ride home was a long and antagonizing one to both Luke and Lorelai and the children. No one dared to talk in fear that an outburst may come from a parent at any moment. Rushing in the door when they got home, the boys were the first ones upstairs when Luke opened the garage door. Stella followed close behind, cautiously climbing the steps after her two older brothers with Luke close behind.

Lorelai breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she didn't hear the usual fighting that came from the upstairs around bedtime, instead she waited at the bottom of the steps unable to take the short walk upstairs. For one of the first times in her life she didn't want to say goodnight to her children, she didn't want to do the ritual tuck in that was started nine long years ago, she just sat at the bottom of the steps waiting for the soft footsteps of her husband.

Waiting until long after Luke turned off the lights to all three of the children's bedrooms and shut the individual doors it was then when Lorelai rose from the place she had been sitting and walked up the steps. She stood outside the door of her eldest son's room but couldn't manage to reach her hand forward and turn the doorknob. Walking away quickly she passed Bryce's room once again unable to open the door and tell her son goodnight but when she came to Stella's door she turned the doorknob without a thought and crept into the room without a thought.

Stella laid deep under her many bed sheets, wearing a too long flannel top that had once belonged to Luke. Laughing to herself Lorelai walked over to her young daughters' bed and sat down on the edge, looking lovingly at her young child. She sat there for some period of time watching the girl's eyelids flitter as she dreamed of far off places, it was at that point in time it struck Lorelai that someone was watching her. Turning around quietly she saw Luke standing in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest.

"Jesus Luke are you trying to scare me? What is with the creepy axe murdered stalking?" Lorelai whispered quietly to her husband.

He walked into the pink room that was glowing from the nightlight stuck in the corner, "I was just waiting for you to come to bed. We need to talk Lorelai."

She turned away from him and looked back at her daughter who had yet to stir from the sounds that were filling her bedroom, "Not now Luke."

He stood at the foot of the bed patiently waiting for his wife to come to her senses, "Lorelai I said we need to talk."

"And I said not now Luke." She could feel her voice rising as she shot an angry glance at Luke.

"Lorelai I am not leaving here until you talk to me." He managed to keep his voice low and steady, something that amazed him under the circumstances.

"Luke this is the last time I am telling you, not now."

By this point in time Stella started to stir, twisting her body around underneath the sheets. Her eyelids began to rises as she turned towards Lorelai, "Mommy what is going on?"

Lorelai took her daughter into her arms and wrapped her into a deep hug, "Nothing is going on sweetie, I was just here to say goodnight to you and Daddy was waiting for me to finish."

Stella seemed satisfied with this answer and slid herself out of her mother's tight grip but only after receiving the usual goodnight kiss on her nose. Having no reason to stay in Stella's room now she had to leave, striding past Luke she pushed her nose up in the air, completely ignoring him. He followed close behind as she walked down the hall and into the master bedroom, launching herself on to the bed.

"Aren't you going to say goodnight to the boys?" Luke questioned Lorelai as she flipped through the TV channels before settling on Charlie Rose.

"Why should I?" She shot at Luke.

Her last comment struck a nerve with Luke; he could feel the rage building up in him, boiling underneath his skin. "That is it Lorelai, I need to know NOW why you are acting so different. I need to know why you are pushing the boys and me away. I need to know why you stopped being a mother."

"Stop being so dramatic Luke, leave that to my mother," she said not even turning her attention away from Charlie and his guest.

"Damnnit Lorelai! I am not being dramatic, I am being a normal person who is being ignored by his wife. Lorelai why the hell are you acting like this, you aren't the woman I married," the last thing he said hung in the room, stunning Lorelai.

She shut off the television now and turned all her attention to the raging Luke who was pacing the length of the room, "What the hell is that supposed to mean Luke?"

"You heard me, you aren't the woman I married, if I had known this was going to be the way things would I turned out I would have seriously considered the long term commitment I was getting ready to make." Once again he regretted what he said but he couldn't find it in himself to take back the words.

"Get the hell out of my house." She said in a cool and low voice.

"Lorelai wait.."

"I said get out!"

* * *

Luke didn't bother to plea to Lorelai; he just turned his back to her and walked away. He stood in the foyer waiting for her to come running down the stairs after him but she never came. He let himself out of the house and took a seat on the front step.

More than an hour passed and Lorelai never walked out of the house, the upstairs lights never flicked on, and the house kept the appearance of death. Suddenly the front door creaked and soft footsteps came up from behind him, he watched his wife lower herself down on to the step next to Luke.

"So you didn't leave," she said quietly.

"No I didn't leave. Lorelai I didn't mean anything I said up there I jus-" she cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

"I know you didn't mean it Luke, just the way you were acting really scared me."

He reached out and pulled Lorelai into the same tight embrace that she was holding Stella in just a few hours prior, " I am so sorry honey. It's just the way you have been acting lately is really starting to get to me and I couldn't take it anymore. Can you please tell me what is going on?"

Lorelai sighed heavily and tightened up in Luke's arms, "I guess it is about time you know."

* * *

Hello angst. Well I guess it wasn't really angsty but it was enough for me. Look for another update in a few hours, I am kinda on a roll now. And yeah, we will learn about Rory! 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Well helllooooo. So I said a couple of hours, well I feel asleep watching HP and then I have been hanging out with my friend. So here you go…

And by the way please stop leaving me kinda nasty comments, they piss me off and then I don't want to write.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.. I all I own is BEE (Bryce, Eli and Estella) 

* * *

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to Lorelai. It isn't a big deal." Luke said smoothing down her ruffled hair. 

Lorelai turned around and looked her husband in the eyes, "no, you deserve to know. I have been acting like a total bitch and you should know why."

Luke sat there quietly as Lorelai readied herself for the long discussion that lay ahead. A cool midnight breeze wrapped around their warm bodies as she shifted her self around so she was looking Luke in the eyes, "well it all started the night that Rory and I had that graduation party at my parents.."

* * *

_Lorelai and Rory sat in utter silence as they drove down the long stretch of highway that connected Hartford and Stars Hollow. Neither of them had spoken a single word since saying their final goodbyes at the extravagant shindig that the Gilmore's had thrown. Succumbing to the silence Lorelai decided that she had to break the silence; she couldn't stand anything being quiet._

_"So that was a really fancy party, lead it to my mother to throw the only graduation party where there was a formal sit down dinner." Lorelai said chuckling._

_Rory was still staring out the window of the Jeep, unaware that someone was talking to her. Something in her head finally clicked and she turned to her mother, "Oh yeah, fancy."_

_Lorelai shook her head and tried to get rid of the thought that something was wrong with her daughter. "It was too bad that Luke couldn't make it, he and my father could have talked about franchising the diner," she said with a tone of sarcasm and a hint of laughter._

_This time Rory didn't even bother to answer her mother's comment, she just remained looking out the window at the cars that zoomed by. Lorelai was starting to get annoyed now, she hated pouting Rory, she seemed so immature._

_"What is wrong kid? You haven't said a single word all night and you didn't even laugh when grandma freaked out because one of the busboys didn't properly distribute the cheese to cracker ratio on one platter." Lorelai glanced over to her daughter who was staring at the plaid design of her skirt, " I mean c'mon that was hilarious seeing her face get all puffy and red they way it did, and she made the poor boy cry!"_

_Silence came from the other side of the car and this time she had enough, pulling the car to the side of the highway, "I need to know now, what the hell is wrong with you? I am not moving this car till you tell me."_

_Rory shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, "I swear mom, nothing is wrong, I think I am just tired," she said gesturing to the fake yawn she forced her mouth to create._

_Lorelai accepted the answer and pulled the jeep back on to the highway and into on coming traffic. The rest of the ride home was conversation less; the only noise was muffled music coming from the radio. When the mother/ daughter duo finally pulled up the blue house (also loving referred to as the Crap Shack) Rory jumped out the car slamming the door hard, and it was at that point in time Lorelai realized that something was wrong._

_Following Rory into the house Lorelai dumped her stuff on the table near the door and proceeded to walk straight to her daughter's bedroom door that was now firmly shut. Knocking softly she waited for the soft footsteps of Rory's dainty feet but there was not a stir in the room. Pushing the door open she found her daughter sitting on the bed Indian style, looking at the ceiling._

_"Rory we need to talk, I know something is wrong."_

_Through gritted teeth Rory answered her mother as calmly as possible, "I told you that nothing was wrong mom."_

_Appalled by her daughter's tone and attitude Lorelai took a step back and looked at Rory, "do not take that tone with me Rory. I am simply asking you why you are acting so strange. You were extremely rude tonight and I know that tomorrow I will be getting a phone call from my mother blaming me for your actions. I deserve to know what the hell is going on."_

_"Fine, I am thinking about not going to Yale. Happy?"_

_Her eyes blinked rapidly and Lorelai took a second to comprehend what Rory was telling her. She wasn't going to Yale, then where was she going? "Well that is okay sweetie, I know you are nervous about college but you have an entire summer to get ready."_

_Rory rolled her eyes and looked her mother dead in the eye, "No you don't get it, I am not going to Yale period."_

_"Then where are you going to go?"_

_"I am not going to goddamn college at all mom! Don't you get it?"_

_"Hold up Rory, you are going to college. Maybe not Yale but you sure as hell going to college."_

_The young Lorelai was still looking her mother in the eyes as she calmly got up and walked past her, "No mom, I am not going to college. I am going to travel the world."_

_"Over my dead body are you going to fucking travel the world and skip college."_

_By now Rory was rummaging through the hallway closet that housed all crap that she and her mother had accumulated through the years, "you may have forgotten mom but I am 18 and I can make my own decisions." She found what she was looking for and pulled it out of the closet. Suitcase in hand she ran back to her bedroom and began to throw drawers open._

_Lorelai felt her whole body grow hot as she watched her daughter rip clothes out of drawer and throwing them, unfolded, into the suitcase. "Rory please think about what you are doing. Think about all you worked for and you are willing to throw all that away?" She could feel a lump rising in her throat as sweltering tears sung her cheeks._

_"Mom I have thought about it! Yale isn't my kind of place, if I want to be a good journalist I need to experience the world and in order to do that I need to get the hell out of this place!" Her voice was deafening as it shook the jewelry placed on her dressers. Zipping up her bag she shoved past Lorelai and ran to her purse that was lying on the kitchen table. Grabbing all the money in it she jammed it in the only pocket of her skirt and walked to the front door._

_"Rory wait! Please wait!"_

_But it was too late; she was already gone in the new car that she had just received hours before._

_

* * *

Her make up was running down her face, mascara was streaking her cheeks but she didn't care. Walking the short distance to the heart of the town Lorelai found herself stumbling into Luke's. Luke was standing behind the counter counting money from the ancient cash register. He immediately looked up when he saw Lorelai walk in, his eyes grew as he sized up his girlfriend's current condition._

_His voice was soft as he took Lorelai into his arms, "What is wrong sweetie?'_

_She just wrapped herself around him and allowed the tears to flow._

* * *

Luke was the first one to move after Lorelai had finished recounting the night that happened many moons ago. He looked his beautiful wife in the eyes and was surprised when a lone tear slid down her cheek. Kissing it away he pulled her into a tighter embrace and allowed her to cry over him. 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She was still nuzzled into his chest when she managed to get some words out between puffs of breath, "it was just too hard. I tried to block the whole night out, I wanted to believe the whole night never occurred."

"If you don't mind me asking, but what does this have to do with the way you have been acting lately?"

A few moments passed and he felt her let out a heavy sigh, "I was using Stella as Rory's replacement. I don't know what came over me Luke but I jus- I just thought she could be the thing I needed. She could be my Rory." Another moment of silence passed before she spoke again, "I am so sorry Luke, I am so sorry. I don't know why I resented you and the boys but I am so sorry. Please forgive me."

He kissed the top of her head, " I could never not forgive you."

* * *

_Once again, hello angst. I know a lot of you are going to be like "Why didn't you have Luke force Lorelai to tell him what is wrong?" Well I know Luke and I know he doesn't force Lorelai to tell him anything she doesn't want to. I know 10 years is a really long time for Rory to be gone but I will tell you this, she did have contact with people Lane but she doesn't know about Lorelai._

Hope you like it, **PLEASE REVIEW **and tell me what you think!!


	5. Chapter 5

I am not going to ramble but I am going to say that I am very sorry it took so long to get this chapter up; I was having trouble finding my muse. By the way this chapter is pretty much fluff till the end, but then it gets interesting! Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: Own nothing but BEE

They sat out on the porch for what seemed like only minutes but was really hours. Together they watched the sun rise over the tops of the trees; they watched the early morning sun melt into the late night sky. Lorelai held her head to the chest of her husband and listened to his heartbeat, and it was the most amazing sound to her. Neither of them wanted to move they just wanted to keep a tight hold of the other, they were afraid that if the moment was rushed it just may never happen again.

"Hey Lorelai, why do you think Rory never called?" Luke looked down to Lorelai who was contently watching the sunrise.

Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know Luke. I know she keeps in touch with Lane but Lane never told her about what was going on with me. She wants Rory and I to work out our problems without the help of others."

He wasn't satisfied with this answer, "then why didn't you try to get a hold of her Lorelai? Don't you think Rory would want to know about us and her three hellion siblings?" He said gesturing towards to the house.

"I think about calling her every single day Luke but every time I pick up that phone something stops me from dialing the number. That thing may be the fact that I really don't know her number or that I have no clue what to say to her. I want her to come back on her own."

"I know Rory and I know she is just as hard headed as you." Luke chuckled at how much Rory reminded him of his wife.

Lorelai knew if she wanted to finish the conversation she needed to just give in and tell Luke she would "try" to make contact with Rory, "you know what hon' I will try to call her but I am not promising anything."

Luke smiled and pressed a kissed on his wife's head, "that is all I am asking for."

* * *

Saturdays at the Danes household were usually loud and eventful. At least one child ended up being yelled at and another injured from an unplanned attempt to climb the giant oak tree that graced the front lawn. That particular Saturday though was a quiet and uneventful one. All three children rose at a decent hour and didn't put up a fight over who would get to choose the cartoon to be watched that morning.

Lorelai admired the silence as she scanned through her new People magazine that had arrived in the mail only a few days prior. The peace was soon broken when Sookie came bustling into the house with a very grumpy Davey and Martha.

"Lorelai! I need help!" She yelled as she pushed the two kids into the living room where Lorelai's own children looked up from the television.

Wincing at the volume and pitch of Sookie's voice Lorelai hollered back, "if you need help getting rid of the exclamations come here, I'll kick them out of you."

Sookie rolled her eyes and ignored the comment, "the kids are in the worst moods. I need fun Aunt Lorelai to help me! I think I just may die or they may kill me!"

"Come here! Just one quick kick and those exclamations will be gone forever along with your ability to sit."

"Sorry, I always forget that you are in a terrible mood before you get your coffee." She said lowering her voice a considerable amount.

"Thanks, why don't we take the kids to that really nice park in Hartford? You know the one where Bryce and Davey attempted to pee their names into the mulch."

"Oh yeah that's a really nice place."

* * *

More than an hour and six cups of coffee later the families were loaded (illegally) into Sookie's minivan. Though she hated the thought of driving in the mommy mobile Lorelai sacrificed the cool factor of her more economic SUV for the spacious van. Halfway down the highway and before the second verse of the Bangle's song that the kids were singing Sookie turned to Lorelai with a puzzling look, "so are things better with you and Luke?"

Hearing her father's name Stella's attention snapped to the front of the car, "what was wrong with Mommy and Daddy?"

Lorelai shot Sookie the look before turning back to Stella who had by now had a look of panic spread across her face. "Oh sweetie nothing is wrong with Daddy and me. Sookie was talking about Daddy and my um uh bowling team!"

"But Mommy you hate bowling. Last time we went you actually put a hole in the floor and I remember when you did it Daddy said that it was the last fu.."

Lorelai quickly put up her hand to stop Stella from recounting the entire night, language and all. "Well Stelly if you were listening you would have heard that I told Sookie Daddy and I were playing uh virtual bowling!"

Stella didn't respond partially because she knew her mother was lying and partially because she didn't feel like steering clear of the real reason for the rest of the car ride.

Waiting a moment Lorelai turned around and shot Sookie the look, the one she usually shot one of the twins after they jammed all their appetizers into the couch cushions at her parents house. Sookie managed to mouth a weak sorry to Lorelai before she went back into the Bangle's song that was filling the car.

* * *

They had been in the park for no more than fifteen minutes before Martha started crying because she saw a squirrel and the boys were once again attempting to pee their names not into the mulch but into the lake. Haughty mothers and prissy nannies rushed away the children of brilliant doctors or banking moguls before they would be exposed to the common and vulgar behavior of the meager children of Stars Hollow. The funny part of the entire fiasco was the fact that Sookie and Lorelai allowed all of the screaming and pee flinging to happen because quite frankly they found the whole situation hilarious.

After a few minutes and laughter had exhausted their bodies the mothers intervened and stopped the crude behavior of the five children before the local park rangers were called to the scene. The kids were tucked away under a large Oak tree enjoying their lunches as the moms took a walk around the park, gossiping about the happens around town. With Stella nestled tightly against Lorelai's chest the mother's strolled around the small paths that allowed them to keep a close watch on the troublesome boys and Martha, who had fallen asleep on the blanket strewn across the grass.

Sookie stared in amazement as Lorelai carried her small daughter effortless without the slightest look of pain. "Sweetie, isn't she a bit heavy to be carrying like that?"

"Nah, she only weighs like forty pounds, she's a tiny little thing." She laughed and gestured over to the twins, "those two on the other hand where heavy buggers from the day they were born."

A moment or two of silence passed before Sookie broke it with the question that had been hanging over the air since the virtual bowling incident in the car earlier that day. "Is everything really okay between you and Luke? It seems like something is wrong, you have been so absent lately."

Lorelai winced and took a second to think about her answer, though Sookie may be her best friend this is the one topic she didn't want to discuss with anybody not even her, "Yeah Sook everything is fine between us."

Sookie took note in Lorelai's tone and decided to drop the topic till a later time and decided to go onto something else light, "you know what I was thinking, Stella reminds me like someone so much I just can't put my finger on it."

"Um Grace Kelly?"

"Yeah, no, wait what?"

"Nothing hon'. Whom were you talking about?"

"Rory! That is who she reminds me of. I mean the kid is identical to you in every way but she does have a lot of Rory in her though I don't know how that is possibly seeing how they aren't even really genetically related…" she continued on for a while but Lorelai wasn't listening. She was thinking about how right Sookie was. Stella did act a lot like herself and she managed to grab hold of her main genetics but Stella was still clever like her sister and she did manage to easily slid into the role of Rory upon birth.

* * *

The three boys sat quietly under the tree looking out onto the park and to the playing families. Davey sat munching on a sandwich and the twins took turns eating the dessert that Sookie packed.

"Eli are you going to play baseball this year?" Davey asked between bites of his cucumber sandwich.

Bryce didn't wait to hear his brothers' answer before he intervened, "duh of course he will, and I mean it is Eli you are talking about. Dad would have a whole herd if he tried to quit."

Eli sat there silently not wanting to answer Davey's question himself because he knew the answer would not be the best one, "yeah I am still playing next year."

Bryce ignored his brother and turned his attention to his mother who was holding Stella as she and Sookie took a walk around the park, "Eli who is that guy walking towards mom? It seems like he knows her."

* * *

"Lorelai are you listening? Earth to Lorelai!!" Her friend's loud voice knocked her out of her daydream and managed to awake Stella who had passed out in Lorelai's arms minutes before.

"What?!"

"Is it just me or is that Christopher?"

* * *

A/N… DUN DUN DUN! Is it Christopher?! Hmm I don't know, well actually I do know but that doesn't matter! What will happen now? I can tell you this it is gonna be good and if you read it you better press that little button down there so I will update faster.

PRESS THE BUTTON FOOL!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey! I am updating! I have pictures of what I think the kids would look like and I have a picture of the house the family lives in but I need help putting them up. If you can help me just pm or comment me!

Enjoy

**Disclaimer: I only own BEE.**

* * *

"Holy Shit."

Sookie glanced around and quickly excused herself, "I am going to go check on the kids."

Christopher strutted across the small patch of grass that separated him and Lorelai planted himself directly in front of her, making a point in the process. "Hey Lor! It has been too long," he extended his head forward and attempted to drop a kiss on her cheek but at the last second Lorelai jerked away and glared back at him.

"What the hell do you want Christopher?"

He tried to look shocked but he had been thinking about this meeting, he knew that Lorelai wouldn't be too pleased to see him. Averting the attention away from himself he eyed up the sleeping Stella in Lorelai's arms and set his interests on her. "Who is this cutie?"

Through clenched teeth Lorelai answered in an angry tone, "this is my daughter Stella actually Estella. We all call her Stella though."

"Estella, interesting name." He shrugged and turned towards a set of swings that was jammed packed with kids, "that girl over there with the braids is my daughter Gigi."

Lorelai had heard about Gigi through her mother who kept her well informed with Chris's actions and life events. "Yeah I heard that you got married and had a kid."

He seemed surprised by what Lorelai was telling him but he wasn't at all surprised that she knew, her mother was a gossiper after all. "So your married? Of course you are married. Who is the lucky guy?"

"His name is Luke. We have two sons too. They are twins actually, Bryce and Eli."

Chris started laughing when she said this, "I am guessing they were the ones peeing their names into the lake?"

"Stop stalling Chris, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to catch up with you it has been what forever since we have seen each other." A smile began to spread across his face as he began to say the next sentence and Lorelai knew what was coming actually she was dreading what was coming, "how is that kid of ours?"

She began to shake her head and could feel the anger building up inside of her, he knew about what happened between her and Rory. She could tell by the way he was acting, "you know what happened between us. You had to be giving her money because I wasn't and I know my parents weren't."

"You're right I know all about it but why does that matter? I mean she shouldn't feel bad you are the one in the blame Lor."

What he head just said really pissed Lorelai, he hadn't heard her side of the story and if he had he would have agreed with her, "you don't know what the hell you are talking about Chris. You have no clue what happened that night and if you did you would have a whole different view on things. Just leave me alone Chris." She pushed passed him and walked towards the tree and the kids.

"I'll tell her you said hello!"

"Fuck off."

* * *

Panting by the time she reached the tree, Lorelai could feel hot tears welling up in her eyes but she managed to resist the urge to cry. Walking towards the blanket that Martha was passed out on she laid Stella down next to her friend and chuckled in amazement at how the child managed to sleep through everything she just did.

"Mom who was that?"

Lorelai had to have jumped at least a foot when Eli snuck up behind her. He was always the observant and worrisome child like his father. "That was just someone I knew from high school. It doesn't matter kid."

He wasn't going to let her get away with the answer too easily, "you seem upset Mom. Are you sure you are okay? Do I need to beat him up for you?"

She reached down and pulled her son into a tight hug and kissed him on the head, "that's okay babe but thanks for the offer."

* * *

Sun was setting as the clan of whiny children and irritated mothers pulled up to the Danes household. Lorelai hopped out of the car after all her kids ran inside, said bye to Sookie and followed the three siblings inside. A sweet aroma greeted her when she stepped foot through the doors, Luke was cooking.

"Ohh Lucas my love! Are you making your world famous spaghetti by any chance?

Luke's head stuck out from the corner of the kitchen, "maybe you will have to wait and see."

She threw herself down on the couch in the living room and pulled a doll out from under her, "but I am in desperate need for caffeine! In any form it does not matter, I am not passed licking it off your shirt buddy!"

He appeared in front of her holding a chipped mug, "here, now shut up."

Lorelai held it for a moment and allowed herself to inhale sweet scent of fresh coffee, to her the best smell in the entire world, "why thank you Mr. Danes. What great service this place has."

Stella came bounding down the stairs and threw herself onto the couch that her mother was sitting at, "thanks mommy! I need caffeine."

Luke didn't bother to argue with Stella about drinking caffeine she was just too much like her mother. He turned his back to the girls and walked back into his sanctuary, the kitchen, "freaks."

* * *

"Thanks for dinner dad. It was very very good," the twins managed to say in unison before jumping down from there seats at the table.

"Yeah sweetie dinner was really good. Maybe dessert will be even better." Lorelai leaned in and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek.

"Dirty."

She pulled away in shock; "you have been with me way too long."

Yells erupted from the living room where all three kids were fighting over the movie that was going to be played. After listening to arguments for Star Wars (Bryce's choice), Forrest Gump (Eli's choice), and Alice in Wonderland (Stella's option) Lorelai avoided conflict and slipped an old Harry Potter movie into the DVD player.

Nearly three hours later Harry Potter was over and so were Stella's cries because it was too scary (she thought the snake was going to eat Harry), and the twins arguments over who was a better wizard, Luke declared it bed time. After dragging their children off to bed the parents stood in the hallway and admired the silence that had overtaken the usually noisy and hectic house.

Lorelai suddenly turned to Luke and whispered quietly, "thank you."

"For what?"

"You know silly."

* * *

It was past midnight and Lorelai sat fidgeting on her side of the bed. She desperately wanted to tell Luke about her encounter with Christopher earlier that day but she was fearful of his reaction. Just mentioning Chris's names was like cursing her husband out, "Luke there is something that I need to tell you." She gulped and waited to hear his response.

"What is it hon'?"

"I saw Christopher today at the park and he walked up to me and he was being an arrogant ass as usual so I yelled at him and he pretty much told me that he has seen Rory. I am so sorry for not telling you right away."

He let out a sigh and sifted his weight in the bed, "at least you told me."

"So you aren't mad at me?" She winced and waited for his answer.

"Why should I be mad at you? Its not like you can control Christopher's actions."

She looked at him and saw a look of relief, "your right babe. I love you."

"Love you too." Luke responded before clicking off the light.

* * *

A jarring ring shook through the Danes household. Lorelai looked at her alarm clock as bright red numbers burned into her eyes. Huffing to herself she reached over and click on the cordless, wincing at how loud the voice was. The words soon became understandable and she began to make out what the other person was saying.

Shock gripped Lorelai's body with the last thing that was said, "Oh my god, we will be right there."

* * *

A/N: And there you go folks! Hope you liked it. Remember if you can help me upload this pictures you can see the kids!!!

Review please!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't sue me. 

A rush of emotions overcame Lorelai's body as she slammed down the receiver. Straining her eyes to find Luke's motionless body on the other side of the large bed, she finally heard his faint breathing and sighed in relief. Carefully scooting herself over towards her husband, she pressed on of her cool hands on his bare arm and leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"Luke wake up." Nothing, only her husband's shallow breathing filled the room. Trying again Lorelai brought her voice level up a notch, "Luke wake up."

Only silence came from the left side again. She was now officially annoyed by her husbands' heavy sleeping habits, shaking him by the shoulder and yelling his name loudly was when she was finally able to knock him out of his slumber.

"Mphh I am not making you coffee. Go back to sleep." He rolled over and began to drift back to dreamland.

Pouting by now Lorelai was completely ready to smack him on the head, "Get the hell up now. My dad is in the hospital."

In an instant Luke jutted up from the comfortable position he had assumed in the bed only seconds before. "What?"

Lorelai was moving around the room already, looking frantically for anything that would keep her body warm in the cool hospital but still keep her pesky mother of her back about her ragged fashion sense. "I said my dad is in the hospital. He had a heart attack and my mom is freaking out," she hollered while rummaging through a drawer, "put these on." She chucked a pair of jeans at Luke and resumed her search for something decent to wear.

Luke stood up and began pulling on the jeans that his wife hurled at him, "Is there anything you want me to do or to get?"

"Can you please call someone to come sit with the kids. Oh and Luke, coffee please?"

He was already walking out the door into the hallway, "I'm already on it."

* * *

Luke called Sookie and explained the situation to her after five minutes of her threatening to kill him for waking her up. Sookie magically appeared at the front door of the Danes residence less then ten minutes after her crazy rant directed towards Luke.

Letting herself in, she stepped into the kitchen where Luke was preparing coffee, "I am here, where is she?"

"Upstairs getting something together, we need to get going." He walked out of the room and to the steps, looking up them for any signs of movement near the master bedroom. Just then Lorelai came rushing past him, mumbling something about caffeine before running into the kitchen.

Pleasantly surprised when she saw Sookie sitting at the kitchen sipping on a cup of coffee, "okay good you are here Sookie. So don't wake the kids up, let them sleep. When the twins want breakfast let them have cereal and Stella will probably eat a muffin. The boys can pick out there own outfits; you might need to help Stella but she will put up a fight. Hmmm what else, she does has ballet in the afternoon at Patty's…" Sookie put her hand up to stop her friend.

"Everything will be okay sweetie."

"But how can you be sure?"

* * *

Luke eased his old beat up pickup into a parking spot outside the Hartford hospital that Richard had been admitted to less than an hour before. He and Lorelai sat there for a moment, waiting for the other to say something to calm the other's jittery nerves. The moment passed and nothing was said so Luke let himself out the car and waited for Lorelai to do the same.

Together they walked down the long and brightly lit hall of the Cardiology wing of the hospital. An overfriendly nurse directed the couple towards Richard's room, which was at the end of the hall. Lorelai could have easily found the room on her own considering the fact that she had been able to smell the fain odor of her mother's expensive perfume since stepping off the elevator.

Loud voices arose from the area around the room where her father was subsiding and Lorelai knew, "Yep I think we found it Sherlock."

Luke led them to the door that was shut tightly but didn't stop block out all the loud sounds inside. He turned towards his wife and looked her in the eyes, they were lifeless and empty, there was nothing in them, her usually spark had disappeared with coldness replacing it. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

Lorelai looked at him and hesitated for just a second before nodding her head, "yes."

She grabbed a hold of his hand and together they walked into the dimly lit hospital room.

* * *

The sight in the room shocked both Lorelai and Luke. Richard was tucked tightly into a hospital bed with cords sticking out of numerous places on his body; he seemed small as he lay in the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Dad?" Lorelai's voice was small and unrecognizable even to herself.

Unable to turn his body, Richard rolled his eyes towards Lorelai, who was hovering in the doorway. "Lorelai is that you?"

"Yeah Dad it's me." She walked over to his side and slid into a chair that was near his head.

Richard was about to saying something but Emily came bustling back into the room with a conceited looking doctor in tow. His soft white hair and rugged good looks put Lorelai to ease, figuring that he had some experience in the field considering his age and surgeons arrogance. "Richard is this Dr. Kensington, he is going to be taking over your case. I had to fight the nurse to change the doctors but of course the silly woman conceited," she swung her head towards Lorelai, "you made it finally."

Dr. Kensington broke into the coversation before Lorelai could respond to her mother's rude comment, "it seems that you will be needing surgery Mr. Gilmore. I will be performing a Coronary Artery Bypass."

Lorelai couldn't find the words to ask what the hell that was but fortunately her father asked for her, "what is that?"

"Well Richard it is a fairly lengthy procedure during which I will be going in and clearing four of your arteries."

"Oh my god. I think I need to sit down." Emily stumbled over to the other chair that was perched in the corner of the room and began to take deep breaths.

"Mrs. Gilmore it may be a frightening surgery but I assure you that your husband is in the best hands."

Finally Lorelai mustered up enough courage to ask a simple question, "when?"

The man studied Lorelai for a second but then managed to tear his eyes away from her, "tomorrow at the earliest."

* * *

Twenty minutes passed by, Luke had excused himself to find Lorelai coffee, Emily was on a mission to find a better room for her husband and the doctor had been paged to the OR. It was down to Richard and Lorelai.

Pushing a stray curl out of her face, Lorelai gazed out of the window and out on to the twinkling city lights that lit up the late May sky, her daydreaming was only interrupted when Richard began having a coughing fit.

"Is there anything I can get you dad? A glass of water maybe?"

He shook his head no but motioned for Lorelai to come closer, "call her."

"Who dad? Do you want me to go find mom?"

"No," his voice was low and raspy but he she still managed to understand what he was saying, "Rory."

* * *

A/N: Kinda short and crappy but next chapter will make up for it!!! I swear I will try my hardest to get it up tonight but if I don't I won't be home until next Saturday.

Review please!!! It will help me get the next chapter up faster.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N I promised a new chapter today so here it is! Enjoy it please.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just BEE.

Lorelai waited till her father fell asleep before she left the room. Opening the door quickly she found herself face to face with a drained looking Luke, "Ah geez you scared me!"

He held out a Styrofoam cup filed with steaming coffee, "don't hurt me, I come bearing coffee." He pushed the cup into her hands and led his wife over to a group of chairs under a large window. Lorelai flung herself onto a chair and took a long sip of the scorching coffee, "I think I just threw up." She said making a face and sitting the cup on the ground.

Luke shrugged and gazed down the hall, "well it is hospital coffee."

She didn't want to avoid the topic any longer, "my dad asked me to call Rory for him. I guess he wants to see her before he goes into surgery."

Luke played with his signature plaid flannel and thought about what he should say back to Lorelai, "do you need her ummm number?"

"Well yeah, I haven't talked to her in like a decade."

He exhaled slowly and reached for the pocket of his shirt, pulling his cell phone out cautiously, "here."

"Thanks but I have my own cell phone." She said waving her cell around in front of his face, making a silly face.

"No, here. I have her number." He pushed the phone towards Lorelai again and waited for her to take it.

She stared at him in disbelief almost unaware as to how to handle this situation, "how long? How long have you had her number?"

"I- I got it from Lane a few days back. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you." Luke pressed the phone into her hands, "call her."

"Wow um okay, thanks. I will be back." With that Lorelai rose from her seat and walked down the long corridor towards the waiting room.

* * *

She gawked at the phone for a few minutes before finally going to the address book on the menu screen. Scrolling through all the few familiar names, it was when she finally stumbled on the number that Lorelai had been looking for all along. Pressing the call button she anxiously gnawed on her thumbnail while waiting for the ringing to cease. There was a click and a hoarse voice came over the line.

"Hello?"

It was her daughter. Lorelai knew that voice; it was Rory's sleep voice. She remembered hearing it whenever she would wake her up in the middle of the night because she was craving pie or because she just couldn't sleep. Trying to find the words, Lorelai opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Finally she overcame her fear and said something, "Rory?"

"Mom is that you?" Rory's voice became low and almost unrecognizable.

"Yeah it's me kid."

"Are you aware that it is five in the morning? What do you want?" Her harsh tone stung Lorelai's ears and she began to feel the tears welling up in her eyes again.

"Your…your grandpa is in the hospital and he needs surgery. The doctors are saying that it is really risky and he wants to see you Rory. He really wants you Rory. Don't come out here for me, do it for him please."

Her mother's pleading tone got the best of Rory and she sighed, "fine I am in New York so I will try and be there by ten okay?"

"Okay."

Before Lorelai could manage to tell her where the hospital was or what wing Richard was in, Rory had already hung up.

* * *

Luke found Lorelai a half an hour after he had given her his cell phone. She was sitting under the window fidgeting with her coat buttons, avoiding the world around her. He stopped for a second and just looked at her, noticing how she was slowly taking on the persona of a fearful child. He just wanted to comfort her, hold her and whisper in her ear, tell her everything will be okay. He must have caught her attention and she looked at him longingly, trying to silently relay a message of panic and sorrow. She stood up and walked the few feet that were separating her and Luke.

He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, sitting his head on top of hers. He could feel her warm tears soaking through his thick flannel; he could feel her shaking body in his arms. Luke gently rubbed her back and allowed her to spill her tears.

* * *

The clock struck eight and Richard was now asking to see his grandchildren. Luke wearily agreed to go back to Stars Hollow and bring the hospital so they could wish their grandfather good luck with his surgery.

He pulled his truck into the driveway and let himself into the house through the front door. Sookie was passed out on the couch, grasping an old issue of Vogue. He snuck by her and walked up the stair, tip toeing around the unusually squeaky spots. Luke let himself into Eli's room first. He crept across the hardwood floors towards his son's bed. Eli was spread out underneath his baseball themed quilt, snoring quietly against his pillow.

Luke was easily able to wake his oldest son up without a fight and was able to get him to get dressed, avoiding questions as to where they were going. The same couldn't be said for Bryce, who was clutching his sailor bed sheets when Luke entered the room. The boy refused to get up at first but relinquished when his father took the angry tone with him. Luke sent Bryce into the bathroom that he shared with his brother, and then walked down to Stella's room. He was surprised when he found his young daughter sitting on her bed, reading a book.

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked, standing in the doorway looking at his daughter in disbelief.

"I went down to your bedroom this morning to get in bed with you and Mommy but you weren't there. I got scared so I came back here to read."

"Oh Stella I am back now but we need to go somewhere. Can you get dressed for me please?" He said pulling his daughter into a quick hug.

* * *

Lorelai was sitting in the hall outside her father's room when her mother came out and sat down on a chair next to her, "He wants to talk to you Lorelai."

"By myself mom?"

"Yes by yourself, now go." She softly pushed her daughter up from the seat that she was sitting on and watched her walk into the room.

Richard was enticed by the TV from which a golf game was being projected into the room. Startled when Lorelai walked in he jumped a little, "you scared me Lorelai!"

"Sorry Dad I should have made more noise."

"It is alright Lorelai, sit down please." He gestured towards the chair that she was sitting in earlier that day. "I remember when you were a little girl and you would never sit on a chair if I was in the room. You insisted on sitting on my lap or else you would throw a huge fit. Your mother hated it, you would never sit still during dinner, you had to sit on my lap and eat dinner that way or else there would be a huge tantrum." Lorelai laughed, "you outgrew that stage though, and then you went through one where you would steal my bow ties so I couldn't go to work."

"What can I say I was a strange child."

"No, you were crying out for my attention, I was never there for you Lorelai and I am so sorry." He whispered, lowering his head in shame.

She was appalled, "don't say that dad. You were there not all the time but you were there."

"Just so you know Lorelai, I am incredibly proud of the woman you became and I want you to know that. You are doing an amazing job raising those children and you did an amazing job raising Rory. I knew you were destined for great things Lorelai and you proved me right."

Tears were streaking her face by now, her blue eyes turned into blue orbs, "Dad stop you are talking like you are dying and you aren't."

"Lorelai please, one last thing. I am honored to say that you are my daughter."

* * *

"It's grandpa isn't it?" Bryce was the first child who braved the silence and asked the question that was on his and his siblings' minds.

Luke, who was busy navigating the car down the highway, thought about his answer before responding to his son, "yeah it is." He always thought it would be best to stay honest with his children in any situation, especially when it affected them.

Eli's unsteady voice came from next to him, "what is wrong with Grandpa dad?"

Luke took a breath and exhaled loudly, it was then when the kids knew something was definitely wrong, "he had a heart attack and now he needs surgery." He tried to explain it as simply as possible.

"But Daddy, last time we say Grandpapa he was fine. Why did he have a heart attack?" Stella questioned her father.

"I don't know why he had a heart attack sweetie, it is really hard to explain."

The kids decided to leave it at that; and stillness controlled the car until they arrived at the hospital. Holding Stella as they walked down the same hall that he and Lorelai had walked down only hours before, Luke remembered the day that his own father had been admitted into the hospital. A rush of miserable memories overtook his body; shaking them he focused on his three kids and the problem at hand.

Lorelai wasn't sitting under the window anymore; Luke assumed that she had wondered off to find a place that offered decent caffeine or junk food. He made the kids sit down at the chairs and opened the door to Richard's room, he was surprised when he found his wife sitting on a chair with her head propped up on her father's bed, sound asleep. Richard was lying in his bed watching his daughter sleep, hypnotized by her shallow breathing. He only looked up when he saw Luke hovering in the doorway.

"Luke, did you bring my grandchildren by any chance?" He asked weakly.

Luke nodded, "do you want me to bring them in together or by themselves?"

Richard thought about it for a moment, "can you send them in one by one please? Oh and Luke maybe you should take Lorelai with you."

He walked over and woke his wife up and led her outside into the hall, to her kids.

* * *

Eli volunteered to go in first, he said he should go first because he is the oldest but Like knew he wanted to assess the situation before sending his younger siblings into the room. He walked into the room and sat down next to his Grandfather's bed, staring at the wall across from him.

"Aren't the Sox's doing well so far?" Richard asked his first grandson, playing on his passion for baseball.

Eli nodded and switched his attention to the TV screen from which ESPN was softly filling the room, "yeah they might just make it again. That would be awesome."

"How about it, when I get out of here we go to a game together up in Boston?"

Eli eagerly agreed and the two started on a conversation, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't hear Emily enter the room until she made her presence known by coughing, "Hello Eli darling. Your brother would like to come in and speak to his grandfather too."

He looked at his grandmother, "Okay Grandma," then shifted his attention to his grandfather, "love you Grandpa. Good luck with your surgery and I don't forget about the game!"

Emily guided her grandson out of the room and let the next boy in. Bryce strutted right up to his grandfather and extended his hand to him, "hello Grandpa."

Richard reached out and shook the boy's hand and motioned for him to sit down on the chair. Bryce immediately launched into conversation; unlike his twin he was outgoing and less cautious when it came to his life. "So Gramps I hear you need surgery. Did you know that I want to be a doctor when I am older?" He questioned his grandfather.

Richard stared into his grandson's light blue eyes that looked so much like his own it shocked him. "You are now? I thought you were going to be a sailor?"

Bryce laughed at this, "I can be both! A doctor by day and a sailor by night!"

Richard chuckled at the boy, something he always seems to be doing when he is around his vibrant grandchildren. "I guess that boat I am getting will have to be named Dr. Bryce instead of the Captain Bryce. Too bad."

Bryce's eyes lit up when he said this, Richard was always talking about buying a boat and naming it after his young grandson who has a passion for the water just like his own father but he has never found the boat that would fit such an interesting name. "Just kidding grandpa, I am just going to be a sailor now, who needs to be a doctor?"

They talked until Stella came barging into the room demanding that it was her turn to get to see Grandpapa and Bryce needed to move his butt. Allowing her brother to say a quick goodbye and good luck, she came bounding over to Richard's bedside and pounced up onto the bed with him.

"Hiya Grandpapa!" She giggled, showing off her pearly white teeth.

Richard loved how she called him Grandpapa; it was brought on when she read it in one of her many old-fashion books that she collected. "Hello Stella darling."

The young girl launched into an in depth description about how her life had changed since the last time she had seen her grandfather. He sat in his bed half listening to her, half studying her curiously. She was identical to her mother as a child; she maintained the same bubbly personality and eagerness to talk. It made him think about how he missed so much of his own daughter's childhood that he was amazed that he knew his granddaughter was like her at all.

The conversation was quickly slid towards Stella's love for horses. She was saying how she loved to ride the ones at the Dragonfly but would really like to have her own one-day. It was then when Richard found himself offering to buy her one, as soon as he gets out of the hospital.

"Well Grandpapa I think Mommy and Grandma would like to come in and see you before they come and take you to the operation room." Her giddy tone had now disappeared and was replaced by and more serious one.

"Come here and give your old Grandfather a hug before you leave." He held his arms out and pulled her into tight hug, smoothing her loose curls.

"I love you Grandpapa. I love you a whole lot. More than I love horses, ballet, coffee, my friends.."

He stopped her and kissed her on the forehead, "I love you so much too Stella, remember that okay?"

"Promise me that you will be okay?"

"Oh Stella.."

"Promise me Grandpa."

"I promise darling, I promise."

* * *

Luke and Lorelai took the boys downstairs to the cafeteria while Stella sat out in the hallway lazily swung over a chair reading a tattered book. Emily was inside talking to Richard while the nurses and interns prepped him for his surgery. He kept glancing out into the hallway where Stella was absorbed in her book, he wasn't just watching her, he was looking for someone in particular and Emily knew it.

* * *

Rory walked down the hall of the ICU towards the end of the hall a nurse had directed her to. Gripping a cup of coffee she squinted at a figure that was lying across multiple chairs in front of a great window. She got closer and the girl moved so Rory could take a seat if she wished.

She threw herself down on a chair and took a sip of her coffee and looked intently to the small girl who was enthralled in a book, "I see you are reading Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorites."

The girl looked up and what Rory saw caused her to gasp, loudly. "What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

Rory tried to find words to explain to the small child, she just looked so much like her own mother that it was difficult to see how it wasn't her own sister. Before she could say anything the girl jumped up and ran into the arms of the woman who must have appeared there only moments before.

It was Lorelai, her own mother.

* * *

Wow that was the world's longest chapter. I really hope you liked it!!! Cute Grandfather/Grandkid bonding and a sad Lorelai and Richard scene. This entire chapter pretty much made me cry as I thought about it and wrote it. I really wanted to get it out before I left for vacation.

Okay kiddies this is it till next Saturday so PLEASE review!!!!!!!

Oh and I promise that Rory's return will not mean everyone is happy again and so on, things will not be happy because well I am not a happy writer.

**_REVIEW!!!!!!_**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Wow.. thanks so freaking much for all the reviews! I really hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I spent this entire week debating the next few chapters and I came to many conclusions, some of them you may like and some of them may make you want to shoot me; deal with it.

Thanks a bunch and enjoy!

By the way.. stop harassing me if I don't update right away, I am kinda busy and stuff so it may take me a while sometimes. So don't be annoying and nasty.

**I AM LOOKING FOR A BETA! PM ME FOR DETAILS!!!!!!**

_Disclaimer: Only own the kids; don't sue me please. _

_

* * *

_"Rory?" A stricken Lorelai stood in disbelief as the young woman in front of her slowly nodded her head, confirming the question at hand. 

"Who else would it be," She answered in a spiteful tone.

Just as Lorelai was about to respond to her daughter's attitude her own mother came bustling out into the hall, nearly running into Lorelai when she realized that her eldest granddaughter was standing on the hard tiled floor. "Oh my god. Rory?"

Rory sighed heavily and pushed a hair out of her face, "for the last time, yes I am Rory."

Emily gave her a once over and fixed her eyes on the new curvaceous figure that her once thin granddaughter had taken. Rory's natural chocolate brown hair was dyed to a new golden brown; and her face had taken a new rounder shape that matched the rest of her body. "My how you changed. What have you done with your hair?"

Moving closer to the door, Rory defensively fingered her light brown locks and sent an irritated glare back at Lorelai, "Is Grandpa in there?" She gestured towards the door and didn't wait to hear the other women's responses before pulling it open.

Lorelai winced as the door slammed shut and before she could walk away Emily had turned towards her with a look of disgust on her face, "what did you say to her?"

"I swear I said nothing to her mom. She came here with her own attitude, I did nothing to influence it." Lorelai responded in an exasperated tone.

The nurses at the round station at the end of the hall watched in amusement as Emily pounded down the hall, throwing her hands up in a form of a surrender. "Fine Lorelai!" Emily turned towards a stern nurse who was shaking her head in disapproval, "what the hell are you looking at? Get back to work!"

* * *

Luke found Lorelai sitting in the waiting room down the hall from Richard's room, he dark blue eyes transfixed on the hall as Stella read an excerpt of _Alice in Wonderland _to her. Luke chuckled and directed his sons to a group of chairs near a television that was silently playing a Red Soxs game, making sure that they were entertained he walked over to Lorelai and cleared his throat.

He nervously glanced around, "Um Stella why don't you go over and um go watch the game with your brothers."

Stella stood up but remained deeply engrossed in her book as she padded across the firm carpet, her light blue skirt swaying as she walked. Luke slid into a chair next to his wife and patted her on the knee, "is she here?"

Lorelai continued to stare out into space as Luke waited quietly for her response finally she answered softly, her voice almost inaudible, "yeah she is here."

He didn't know how to handle this situation; he didn't know what to say to his wife. Luke had never been good at comforting anyone, even the ones he loved most. "What did she say?" He managed to spit out after a few seconds of awkward silence.

"She was mad, I don't even know why. I mean I didn't say anything to upset her." She was playing with Eli's lightweight sweater that he had thrown at her while they were in the cafeteria, "She saw Stella but didn't say anything about her."

He reached for his jeans pocket and pulled out a crisp five-dollar bill, grabbing a hold of Lorelai's hand he pressed it into it, "here go get some coffee."

She cautiously stood up and sat the sweater down on her chair, slowly bending down she lighty kissed the top of his head before turning and walking out of the room. Luke leaned back in the uncomfortable plastic chair and gazed at the silent TV screen that was enticing his young children, completely unaware that Bryce had flopped down onto a chair next to him.

The boy's freckled face scared him as Luke found himself staring into the eyes of his nine year old son. Bryce's flecked blue eyes stood out against his deep shaggy brown hair, his face resembling that of his mother rather than of his father. People found it unusual that the twins looked so different but so similar at the same time. Though they may have the same gorgeous eyes and have similar face structures, their overall appearances tended to lean towards a single parent. Bryce looked more like his mother but still had some of Luke's features and Eli looked more like his father but maintained Lorelai's features. It was something that baffled Luke but the thing that confused him the most was the fact that the boys were so different.

Luke adjusted the baseball cap on his head then looked at his son, "Jesus Bryce you scared me. What do you want?"

Byrce cocked his head and intently looked at Luke, "who is this Rory person I keep hearing you and Mom talk about?"

It was evident that Bryce was eavesdropping on the conversation and that he didn't plan on exhausting the topic till Luke told him the truth, "it was just someone that your mom knows. End of discussion." He didn't want to tell his son the real reason without talking with Lorelai first.

"Well Dad I think that person is looking at you right now." Bryce pointed in the direction of the hallway, towards Rory who was nervously hovering in the doorway. Luke watched her turn away and begin to walk down the corridor towards the elevator before pressing the button.

"I'll be back Bryce!" He stood up quickly nearly knocking over his son who was leaning into him. Luke ran down the hall after Rory, catching her attention just before she stepped foot in the elevator. "Rory wait!" He finally caught up to her and was panting as he stepped onto the elevator.

She looked at him in confusion, "Luke what are you doing here?"

He kicked the side of the moving elevator and thought about how he wanted to answer her, "I am um.. here with your mom." He said gesturing towards the ring that was tightly hugging his finger.

Rory pretended to look shocked but she knew that the two would eventually get hitched and would probably have kids; she just wanted to believe that her mother wouldn't move on without informing her. "Wow that is great Luke. So I guess the little girl I saw Mom with earlier is your daughter?"

A grin spread across Luke's face as Rory mentioned his Stella, her name always seemed to have that effect on him. "Yeah. Hey Rory do you think we could possibly sit down and maybe talk a bit?"

Rory thought about it for a moment before giving in and agreeing. Luke guided her towards the second floor cafeteria and to a somewhat clean looking table. He really didn't know where to start with her, what should he tell her and what should he leave for Lorelai to tell her daughter? Thoughts raced through his mind as Rory checked her cell phone, "Well I guess no one called yet," she laughed as she carelessly threw her sleek cell phone in her purse. "So Luke, could you maybe um tell me about my sister?"

Luke reached for his wallet and pulled three small pictures out of a holder, he pushed the photographs across the table towards Rory, "those are our kids, your mom and mines um the boys are twins and their names are Eli and Bryce, they are both nine." He pointed at the picture of Stella with a huge smirk on her face, "and that is Stella she is six going on thirty."

With a heartbreaking look on her face, Rory sat there fingering the pictures and staring at the eager faces of the young children. "I have to go." She stood up and shoved the chair back. Luke watched her dash to the glass doors and throw them open, running outside into the bright morning sun.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­"Logan it's me. I um saw her and it was awful. She is married I mean married. Who the hell gets married without telling their daughter, and get this she has kids, loads of them. Okay so maybe she only has three but still there are three kids who share half my blood running around and I have never met them. But what gets me the most is- is that she has a daughter, and she is just like me." Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "it's like she was replacing me." She hung up the phone and gazed around the small courtyard outside the hospital. Inside that place her past was fighting her present, in that place new kids were stealing her family and it was scaring the shit out of her.

* * *

A/N: Okay so short I know but I am suffering from a blank as to how I want to write the next few chapters so bear with me. Schools starts on Thursday so look for an update before then but definetly this weekend. 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I am a horrible person!!! It has been more than one week and I didn't update, it's just that things have been rough and I have been suffering from a writer's block.

Okay deal with me, this chapter is going to help me get back into the swing of things.

_Disclaimer: Only own the kids. _

* * *

From a third floor window Lorelai could see everything. From over the tops of the trees she could see the busy streets of the city, she could see the extensive highway that lead her to home, and she could see down into the courtyard. In that very courtyard she watched her oldest daughter sit alone on a bench, fiddling with her cell phone. Lorelai's heart was telling her to go down and talk to Rory but her head was filling up with thoughts of the horrible night that she last talked to her daughter. Maybe it was the fact that she needed comfort or maybe it was the fact that she felt guilty but it was something that made Lorelai take the short journey to the elevator.

Her shiny ballet flats slapped against that smooth floor as she reached the glass door that separated her from Rory. Maybe it was just her imagination but to Lorelai that glass door symbolized her newfound relationship with her daughter, she was on the outside looking in; and that was killing her. Breaking the invisible but yet physical barrier that had separated the mother and daughter, Lorelai walked across the damp grass with her arms crossed against her chest, a solemn look on her face.

"Can I sit there?" She pointed at the empty spot next to Rory but wasn't surprised when the girl ignored her inquiry. Crossing her jean clad legs Lorelai fixed her hair and attention on her daughter, "so I guess you were wondering who that girl was earlier?"

Rory looked at her mother, their intense blue eyes connecting. "I'm guessing that was your new kid? How many of them do you have now?"

A breeze whipped through the courtyard stirring up the red and yellow tulips grounded in a small flowerbed. It was gorgeous outside making this a day that Lorelai didn't want to associate with the hardheaded behavior of her immature daughter. "I have three kids. Luke and I have three children together, two boys and a little girl."

"Tell me something I didn't already know." Rory countered in an annoyed tone.

The sun clouded over and the breeze turned into a swoosh of cool air, "You know what Rory, I will. Did you know that Bryce had to have emergency surgery after he fell out of a tree and cracked open his skull? Do you know that Eli is one of the best little league baseball players of his age and that Bryce is an amazing swimmer?" She took a deep breath and wiped the tears that were beginning to fall from her eyes, "Did you know that Stella is one hell of a dancer, something that baffles Luke and me to no end because neither of us have any sort of rhythm. And I bet that you didn't know she almost didn't have the chance to become the little girl she is today because she almost didn't make it through the first hour of her life." Tears were falling freely now as Lorelai gulped for a breath of air.

"And who's fault is it I didn't know any of that?"

"Damnit Rory why do you have to be so self centered? You were the one who decided to give up your family; you were the one who had to be the spoiled brat and throw way your future! You gave up on Yale Rory and that killed me. IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

Rory had her hands wrapped tightly around the side of the bench as she watched her mother explode, releasing her years of pent up anger. "This is why I left. I really hope that your new daughter has fun being pushed around the same way I was."

"Get the hell back here! I am not done!" But it was too late; the door was already swinging shut.

* * *

Heavy raindrops began falling by afternoon though the weatherman predicted sunny skies for all of Connecticut, but Lorelai knew that the weather was a sign like it always had been. To her the rain was trying to tell her something.

Sitting alone on the wooden bench Lorelai watched the thick black clouds roll in as the wind threw her curls about her face. Her salty tears were mixed with the cool raindrops as she shielded herself from the suspicious looks of curious onlookers who passed through the breezeway across from the courtyard. Curling up into a ball, finally allowing the tears from years passed to flow freely, Lorelai cried about the mess of her life.

Luke found her. Through the rain streaked window he could see a small figure huddled on a lone bench in the middle of the grassy quad. He ran through the door and out into the pouring rain, to the bench where he began to shake Lorelai, "Lorelai? What the hell are you doing? It is the middle of a thunderstorm and you are laying on a bench!" He started to yell at his wife for her foolish behavior but when she lifted her head what Luke saw made him shut up. His wife's face was stained with tears and mascara, her cheeks flushed and her eyes reflecting with tears like giant blue ponds. "Oh Lorelai."

"I did it Luke, I talked to her and she reacted the way I knew she would." She whispered quietly.

He held his hand down to her, "come on let's get inside. We're going to catch colds."

Lorelai sniffled before taking his hand into her own, when she stood up Luke pulled her in close to him, wiping away the stray tears that were lingering on her wet face. For a moment they stood together in the pouring rain, appreciating the love they had for each other.

* * *

Rory found Emily pacing the hall in front of Richard's room. Her dark hair swinging in about her face as she sharply turned and began to pace back the other way, mumbling incoherently. Rory swore that she heard her name mentioned but shook away the thought before approaching her nervous Grandmother.

Anxiously she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and jammed a finger into her mouth, gnawing on it uneasily, "Grandma?"

Emily swung around when she heard the soft voice as it rang in her ears. Her eyebrows rose and her face settled on a subtle look of amusement. "Why hello Rory. That is a nasty habit," she said pointing to the finger that was slipped into her granddaughter's mouth.

"I need you to tell me. I need to tell me straightforward. What can I do to fix this?"

The clicking of the heels stopped as Emily turned around and looked her granddaughter in the eyes.

* * *

Short and crappy I know but let me get my groove back!!! Update soon though I don't know when.

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	11. Chapter 11

Wow two whole weeks without an update, I suck major ass. Please don't hate me, hate my dance instructors. Okay so read the story and review and tell me how much I suck BUT how awesome this chapter was (hahaha rigggghttt).

Disclaimer: I only own the kiddos, but oh the possibilities. 

* * *

The tension in the air could have been cut with a knife it was so thick. Emily's deep brown eyes bore into Rory as she sized up her granddaughter who was cowardly nibbling away at the remaining nail that hung on her finger. She knew that the girl would eventually succumb to the realization that she threw away her life and she knew Rory understood there would be hell to pay for causing the pain that she had. Emily exhaled loudly making it seem like she was aggravated with the woman but she was secretly thrilled with the fact that SHE was the one that Rory had sought out in hopes of mending her broken relationship with her mother. "What are you talking about Rory, you make absolutely no sense."

Rory's instincts kicked in, Emily Gilmore was one smart yet manipulative cookie. Emily knew what the hell Rory was asking her and Rory knew that Emily was secretly getting a thrill out of leading her astray. It was evident that Emily was still upset about the ten-year hiatus that had separated her from her eldest grandchild but Rory wasn't going to spend her own precious time playing mind games with her arrogant grandmother as a form of compensation for the lost time. "I asked you if it is at all possible for me to fix what I have done."

Emily shifted her feet and tugged at the red blazer that she haphazardly thrown on to match a black skirt that she ripped out of her closet that very morning. For once, possibly ever she was speechless. Her mind was doing summersaults, should she struggled to decide whether she should make peace with Rory and help her fix her tattered relationship with her family or she could push away the grandchild she had only truly known for four years. Thoughts crowded her mind but Emily's attention kept going back the photograph that graced the mantel in the great living room at the Gilmore mansion.

Emily drummed her fingers against hip and rolled her eyes at Lorelai's childish antics, "Lorelai please! I would like to have one decent photograph of you and Rory where your are not sticking your tongue out!"

"_But mom every model has their own classic pose! Twiggy has the one where she is stick her thumb in her mouth," Lorelai mimicked the infamous pose struck by the famous blond model more then twenty years prior. "And now you are interfering with my artistic freedom! I can't work under these conditions." She threw her arms up and flung herself back against the stiff frame of the bench that Emily had posed her and Rory on more than an hour earlier. _

_Just then the maid of the week burst through the wide French doors declaring that a woman from the DAR was on the telephone and that it was some form of an emergency. Emily let out an exasperated huff and followed the maid through the doors, slamming them shut behind her. Lorelai glanced to the annoyed photographer who was examining his cell phone, silently counting down the seconds that he would be stuck in this hell. She turned back to Rory, who was staring off into the distance at the crisp leaves that were effortlessly changing color in the chilly autumn air. Tilting her head onto her daughter's shoulder a wide smile spread across Lorelai's face as she watched the brittle leaves sway in the breeze that was running through Hartford, her soft curls tousled in the air. Rory felt the sudden shift of weight on her own shoulder and responded by lightly laying her own head onto that of her mothers, their deep brown hair melting together, catching the late afternoon sun perfectly. _

_And it was then the photographer quietly and quickly snapped the picture. _

_Seven came and went as Emily irritably allowed the cameraman to depart even though she strongly believed that he didn't manage to capture a single decent photo. To her surprise a package showed up in the mailbox over two weeks later and inside contained a lone picture. It was the very picture that neither she nor the girls knew about, and it was the photograph that captured her girls perfectly which was why it landed the coveted spot on the mantel. _

Emily looked deeply into the aqua eyes of her once sweet and innocent granddaughter, and it was at that moment when she saw the glitter in Rory's eyes that was identical to sparkle in those same eyes in the photograph more than ten years prior. It was her Rory.

"You need to- you need to tell her you are sorry."

"I just don't know how to talk to her Grandma. It is entirely my fault, I yelled at her when I shouldn't have and that is my fault." Tears slipped from Rory's deep blue eyes, streaking her fair skin.

Emily walked towards her granddaughter, pulling her into a tight embrace while rubbing her back, "she knows you didn't mean it Rory. She knows you love her."

"I really doubt that sometimes."

* * *

"Mom you are dripping on my sneakers." Eli didn't bother to look up at Lorelai who was hovering over her elder son, his young face illuminated by the gameboy that his nose was pressed against.

"Ahh geez Eli give it up, you will never beat that level. Now turn the thing off and give your mother your seat." Luke reached down and pulled his son up by his collar, "go find your bother and give me that," he snatched the game out of his hands and gave Eli a little push down the hall.

"Fine but I will remember that," he yelled as he stalked away down the hall, looking remarkably like his father.

Luke threw himself down on the chair next to Lorelai who had her head buried in her hands, "what did I do to her?"

"Lorelai you did nothing. You raised a remarkable young lady and she made a decision that hurt her family. How many times do I have to tell you this Lorelai? I mean it is getting to the point where you seem to doubt yourself too much and that is not like you, that is not like the woman I married. You used to be vivacious and carefree, you used to drink way too much coffee, you used to have crazy underwear day where you would parade our kids around town with their underwear on the outside of their clothes. You were the woman who stole my heart by giving me a horoscope in exchange for coffee. What the hell happened to that woman? I want her back, I don't want this woman who is quiet and doesn't notice her children. I want my wife back." Luke let it all come out, he was officially tired of Lorelai constantly blaming herself for what happened more than a decade ago.

"Luke"

"I am not done!"

"Luke"

"What?!"

He looked up and right into the eyes of the girl who was to blame for the heartbreak that his wife was suffering, "can I talk my mom please?"

Then his mouth dropped.

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REVIEW! Tell me how bad it was! 


	12. Chapter 12

Summary: A little mother – daughter discussion, then a little sharing time.

_Disclaimer: If you want to donate money to me so I can pursue my dream of purchasing the rights to Gilmore Girls, I will no longer have to do these freaking disclaimers. I own nothing!_

* * *

He slowly slid out of the chair, unable to tear his eyes away from Rory, "um yeah sure." Slowly Luke crept down the hall; glancing back at Lorelai every few seconds just to make sure she was okay.

Rory flopped herself down on the vacant chair and ran her hand through her golden hair. "We really need to talk." Lorelai simply nodded. "So I guess I will talk first, I just need to tell you something that I have been holding in for years. You were right mom.."

Lorelai held her hand in attempt to stop Rory before she would say something that she really regretted, "Rory please don't."

"No Mom! There are so many things I have done that I am so sorry for. I am sorry for missing everything. I am sorry for missing your wedding, for missing the births, for missing the birthdays." Lorelai reached her hand out and gently laid it on Rory's leg, "but most of all I am sorry for hurting you." Rory's shimmering blue eyes clouded as tears threatened to spill.

"Rory you may have missed a lot but that is partly my own fault. I am the adult and the mother; I should have called you." She rubbed her hand on her daughter's knee, "I am just so sorry that your brothers and sister never knew you."

Rory exhaled slowly and focused her eyes on her mother, "I want to get to know them, and I want to know all about them. Hell I would love to know their names."

Lorelai blinked apprehensively, she didn't know how to break to her children that they had an elder sister who she had shut out of their lives. The moment played over and over in her head, how would the kids react when Lorelai ushered Rory into the room and broke the news to her them, how would her young children see Rory? Would they see her as an interloper who was there to break up their family, just as Emily had seen Luke a decade before? Would they see her as an amazing person who could easily replace Lorelai's role as a friend and close confidant? Thoughts whirled through her mind as Lorelai tried to grab a hold of one to run with. "I wou- I would love for them to get to know you too but…" Lorelai swallowed hard, hard enough making her think that she swallowed all her courage.

"But what mom? Are you afraid they are going to be repulsed by me or something? Kids usually like me but then again I only know one or two kids."

"Oh no it isn't that, its just I don't know if I- I mean we should tell them at this exact moment. I mean your Grandpa is getting ready to go into surgery and they are scared out of their wits about that. I don't think that now is the best time to go throwing more life changing information on them."

Rory nodded her head slowly in agreement, unsure if she really trusted her mother's decision, "I agree mom, I don't think they could handle all this right now."

A wave a relief overtook Lorelai; she had time to think about how she could make all this work. Even though it wasn't much time, it was still something. "Thanks for understanding kid, I just think this is for the best."

"Hey mom do you think you could maybe tell me some stuff about my brothers and sister? It might be a good idea for me to know some stuff about them before I go blindly throwing myself into three relationships."

Lorelai chuckled at the hint of fear in her eldest daughters voice, "sure, I would love to tell you about the three hellions. Well let's see there is Eli Carson and he is my mini Luke. He is obsessed with baseball, healthy eating, grunting at my stupidly, and keeping an overly watchful eye on Stella. He is so mature for his age it is hard to believe that he is a twin of Bryce." Lorelai stopped and looked and Rory who seemed to be muling over the information that Lorelai was spitting at her.

Rory signaled that she was following what Lorelai was telling her so the mother decided to proceed. "Then there is Bryce Kennedy and he is nine years of terror rolled into the body of one little person. He is excessively creative when it comes to ways as to how to torture Taylor. Overall he is a good kid, he swims on a whole bunch of swim teams, and gets good grades. The twins may look a like at first but it is actually really easy to tell them apart. Bryce looks more like me then Eli does, and he has the classic Gilmore glimmer in his eyes." She paused to allow Rory to comprehend the new facts before proceeding on to the topic of little Stella.

"Next is my little Estella Annabelle.." She stopped when Rory held up her hand.

"Did you just say that my younger sister's name is Estella?" She said between giggles.

"Yes! She is named after Estella, the love interest of Pip during Great Expectations! C'mon Rory I know you read that book."

"I am shocked that you named your daughter after a character who was doomed for a lifetime of unhappiness and loveless ness."

"Hey! I think that it is an adorable name! And if she was going to be a boy I wanted to name her Pip but Luke said no. He said it was the epidural talking."

"Fine, I am just happy that you are naming a child of yours after a character from one of Charles Dickens greatest works."

"You would be pleased to know that both of your brothers are named after extremely influential people. Eli is named after both Eli Yale and after Johnny Carson. I wanted to give the boy an opportunity to live both a live a life of seriousness and laughter. Then there is Bryce who was named after Bryce Jordan, that guy who has some football stadium at some college, Luke liked the name okay. His middle name is obviously after one of the Kennedy's, preferably Bobby well because he was hot."

"May I ask where the hell you got Annabelle?"

"From the poem by Edgar Allen Poe.."

"You mean Annabelle Lee? I used to make you read that to me when I was younger." A grin slowly spread across Rory's face, "you remembered that that was my favorite Poe poem."

"I sure did kid."

"Hey mom?"

"Yeah hun?" Lorelai looked at her daughter and a wave of emotions overtook her, and she didn't know if they were good or bad.

"I missed you so much mom. I missed you so so much."

Lorelai pulled Rory over to her chair and into a tight embrace, whispering quietly in her ear, "I missed you too kid. I missed you too." But to her, it felt like a lie, maybe because it was.

* * *

A/N: So there it is!! I love the random banter about the names of all the kids, and I love how each kid's name has a meaning to it and how they are all named after someone. My brother, sister, and I were all named after random people in history or literature so I come by it naturally.

I hope you enjoyed it!!

REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

**If I get 15 reviews I will update by Sunday night (it will be a LOOONNNGGG CHAPTER!) And that is a promise!**


	13. READ THIS!

To the readers,

I am so sorry I have not updated in more than a month, but I have been having a really hard time. My aunt, uncle and cousins all died in a car crash about three weeks ago. My parents and my brother, sister, and I had to fly to New York to take care of things. I have been having a real tough time so it has been hard for me to find the inspiration to update. Hopefullly I will be able to update soon.

I am so sorry to make you all wait so long, I promise I will try my best to get things up.

Clara


	14. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**A/N: Okay so this was the hardest chapter for me to write, I am sorry if it isn't as good as the others.**

* * *

Emily watched the heavy raindrops drip off the brim of the roof and crash into the soaked bricks of the hospital, her eyes being drawn to the drops threatening to spill. For a second, she knew those tiny pieces of precipitation signified her life.

It was all going to be coming crashing down, and soon.

* * *

Rory had left to check her messages and hunt down the rumored Starbucks cart, leaving Lorelai alone in a deserted hospital wing. She didn't know that her mother feared more than anything else, hospitals.

Lorelai shuttered and glanced nervously around the dully-lit hallway, looking for any sense of movement. Anything that showed there was life; something she needed. She knew her father was only moments away from undergoing life threatening surgery, but she remained nailed to the plastic seat.

* * *

Stella never understood all the hoopla about hospitals. She wasn't amused by the tangled words the doctor spit at her father and grandmother seconds before the nurses wheeled her grandfather away, looking worse than before.

As the cocky surgeon twisted his words for the best, Stella slid away to the bedside of her Papa. Richard's eyes looked tired and his face strained, he looked sick. She reached out her small, pale hand and slid it across his eyelids, something Luke always did when she is sick.

"Papa, remember I love you." Stella quietly muffled into his ear as the interns wheeled him out of the room.

"Papa remember I love you! Papa! Papa!" But there was only a small wave over the side of the bed, their secret sign. The young child turned to her grandmother and with tears in her eyes she asked her only family the most unanswerable question, "will he live?"

"Oh Stella, I just don't know."

"I guess I will have to pray."

* * *

Aggravated by the lack of sufficient coffee in the hospital, Rory returned empty handed to the waiting room where Emily was pacing in her unmatching outfit. The twins were strewed over the chairs with their younger sister resting her head on Bryce's knee; they looked perfect.

For all of her childhood Rory had always wanted a sibling, have her mother, as a playmate was a blast but she missed the sense of normalcy, something she now finds herself craving more than ever.

She walked up to Emily and placed her hand on her grandmother's arm, "hey grandma, how is grandpa?"

Emily quickly gave Rory a once over then let out and exasperated sigh, "I don't know! They doctors around her are completely incapable of walking out here and updating the patients family! How hard is it to get information?!" She threw herself down on a chair and buried her hands in her hands, "Oh Rory, I hope everything will be alright."

She swallowed and nodded her head in agreement, "hey maybe they aren't coming out because the surgery is going so well they thought they might as well keep going."

"Yes, maybe."

* * *

On the opposite side of the large waiting room Luke and Lorelai sat in complete silence, the only noise was the soft murmur of the one of the boy's faint snoring. Lorelai sat rubbing her hand through Eli's dark hair, twisting his loose curls in her hand, attempting to rid the fear.

"He Lorelai, don't worry, everything will be okay." Luke softly whispered to his wife in a soothing voice.

"I know it will be, but a small part of me really thinks it won't. Is that bad Luke?"

"I think you are just psyching yourself out and that you need to relax."

"Ugh! I know but I can't help it, I am just getting that feeling you know?" She stopped twisting Eli's hair and looked Luke in the eyes.

"I know exactly the feeling you are talking about."

* * *

"God we have been in this freaking hospital for what seems like days! How long is this surgery?" Bryce whined before Luke reached over and smacked his head. "I mean, wow how are lucky are we to be spending all this time together as a family."

"That is what I thought mister." Luke grumbled and went back to reading an old issue of People.

Stella tapped Lorelai and pointed her small hand in the direction of Rory, "Hey mommy, who is that woman over there who keeps looking over here?"

"Oh Stella, that is friend of grandma, she doesn't like to be bothered so leave her alone." Lorelai looked away when Rory noticed that her mother was acknowledging her presence.

"Mommy she is walking over here!" It was too late because Rory was already in front of her mother.

She crotched down and got eye level with Stella, "Hello my name is Rory. What is yours?" She extended her hand forward and waited for her younger sister to do the same.

Stella looked over to her mother and waited for the nod of approval before presenting her own hand, "I am Estella Annabel Danes. It is a pleasure to meet you Rory!"

"Wow that is a pretty name you have there Miss Estella."

"I know! My mommy named me after some character in some book. Hey don't I know you from somewhere?"

Rory panicked, she didn't want to lie to her younger sister, "um yeah wait no, maybe. I am a friend of your mommy."

"Then why haven't I seen you before? And why doesn't mommy ever talk about you?"

"Well you see, I have been um away and thinks have been pretty chaotic so I haven't really had a chance to talk to your mommy and all." She prayed that the questions were finally done with.

Stella's mouth formed into the shape of an "O" before she stopped and pointed her small finger again. She pointed towards the door.

* * *

Every wife feels that moment, the moment when she knows that her husband won't be making it home for dinner or he will be missing the son's baseball game, but she rarely knows the moment when the husband will never be returning home. Ever.

Emily leaped up from her chair when she saw a composed doctor walk into the waiting room, clutching a clipboard. He approached her and pulled the scrub cap off his head and looked the woman in the eyes, "Mrs. Gilmore…"

She didn't want to hear him spin tales of lies, she knew the truth, "You don't even have to tell me."

"I am so sorry."

**A/N: I seriously sat in my room and typed this while listening to How to Save a Life on loop and all I did was cry. **


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry it took sooooo long

A/N: I need this.

Death has a smell, it has a feel, and it has an ever-growing presence. No matter how much a doctor tells a family they did everything they could, a small part of their body knows that it is a lie. Something more could have been done before death came knocking.

* * *

The frail body of Emily slowly crumpled into the arms of an unknown man as she finally faced the truth that has always been present, nagging at the back of her mind for many a year. He was gone and she was now leaning on the doctor who was just moments ago covered in her Richard's blood. He smelled faintly of the cologne that Emily had given her husband for the past Christmas. Death has always scared her, and she has never known how to handle it.

"Why?"

"I am so sorry Mrs. Gilmore, your husband was worse off than we thought he was, he already had too much damage to his heart and his body couldn't take the extra strain." He slowly rubbed her back and allowed the unfamiliar woman have a breakdown in his arms as her entire family watched.

"But I was supposed to go first. He told me I could go first. Goddamn you Richard. Goddamn you."

* * *

Lorelai Gilmore can honestly say in her entire life she has never seen her mother cry, not even a lone tear. Obviously she didn't look close enough. Holding her own small daughter tightly against her chest Lorelai needed to shield innocent Stella from the horrors that the real world is using to threatening her purity. Watching her own mother have a meltdown in the arms a man who was not her husband was enough to reduce Lorelai to tears herself, but before she did that without noticing she stood up.

Pulling her mother off the doctor Lorelai pulled her into herself, resting her chin of the head of Emily's, something that she has never done. She immediately felt the wet tears of Emily sliding down her shirt as her helpless mother cried into the chest of her grown daughter, the same way her own young granddaughter does.

"Mom, I am here. I am here. I will never leave you, I am here."

* * *

"He's gone isn't he Dad?"

Luke looked down into the eyes of his beautiful son and his heart dropped, there are some things in life that you never want to have to tell your children. You secretly wish that another person would have to do the deed, have to crush their tiny hearts and you then come swooping in with ice cream and promises of a better tomorrow, but life can't be that perfect.

"Yeah Eli, he's gone."

One after another a tear slipped from the stunning blue eyes of young boys, one after another their wishes were broken. The wishes of boats, baseball games and ponies were crushed.

"The doctors did everything they could guys, they tried their hardest but there was nothing that they could do for Grandpa." Luke lowered his head and stared at the linoleum floor that glistened for the false lighting overhead; he just couldn't stand to look at their tear-streaked faces.

"I don't understand dad. I thought the doctors knew this was going to be an easy fix, I thought that he would make it through. I thought…" Eli lowered his own head to ashamed to let his father watch him cry.

Bryce stood up, stamping his narrow foot on the floor, "he promised me! He promised me a boat! He promised me a summer of sailing! I don't understand how they did this!"

"Bryce please.." Luke looked to Bryce as he continued to stop his foot on the ground.

"No dad! HE LIED TO US! YOU LIED TO US! YOU SAID IT WOULD ALL BE OKAY!"

"Bryce Kennedy Danes control yourself. I know you are upset but there is no need to upset your younger sister." He glanced over at Stella who was enticed by the spectacle of her mother and grandmother.

Five minutes later and some extreme amount of tears Luke managed to settle a very shaken up Bryce. Deciding that it was his job to tell Stella, Luke crouched down in front of his daughter. "Stella I have something I need to tell you."

"Daddy why is Bryce so sad? And why is grandma crying? Is Grandpapa okay?" The questions came sputtering out before he could answer one fast enough.

"Stella, Grandpapa is gone." His voiced dropped to a whisper at the last word.

"What do you mean Daddy?"

He sighed and ran his hand over his face again, "I mean Grandpapa died in surgery. They did everything they could Stella but he wasn't strong enough."

"He lied to me! HE LIED TO ME! He said everything would be okay! HE TOLD ME HE WOULD BE FINE!" Stella began to thrash her petite body about, kicking her legs rubbing her hands against her small face.

"Honey breathe, breathe." Luke tried to grab a hold of her shoulders but her thrashing knocked him away almost immediately.

"No daddy! HE SAID IT WOULD ALL BE OKAY!"

Luke did something his father always did he got down at her level and placed a hand on Stella's knee, "Honey there are just some things in this world that we have absolutely no control over and this is one of those things. Grandpapa is in a better place now, he is in a better place now."

Her uncontrollable movements ceased and a low whimper came from her mouth, "but daddy I just want him to come back. I need him."

"I know you do Stella, I know you do Stella."

"Does he still love me?"

"He will always love you. Love is something that you can't stop giving. Love is never ending especially when you feel so much for one person, like Grandpa did for you."

* * *

A part of Rory believed that the entire family had forgotten her presence for she was tucked away into a darkened corner of the waiting, watching her family suffer repercussions of death of the family patriarch. Her tiny sister was huddled up into the lap of her stepfather as the smoothed her hair, whispering her to sleep. The twins were silently dealing, resting their heads on top of another speaking a silent language only they knew. And her mother; she was still holding her grandmother in her arms, standing in the middle of the room.

Her own heart dropped.

She had let her entire life pass her by stupidly and now she was really wondering if this was the right time to try and gain it back.

* * *

Review please.


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: From freshman year in high school to freshman year of college, it took me four long years to get back on track but finally the time has come- Sweet Wishes is back. I have spent this past month debating the revival of this story and fell just short of ripping it down and completely revising before I realized it wouldn't be far to all of you readers. So, though I hate MANY aspects of this story it will be staying the way it is, dialogue and all. With this said I can guarantee for a fact that my writing has changed, a rigorous high school English career has taught me some error in my ways. Also, some plots will be changing from their original destinations but I promise nothing will be changed for the worse.

Now onwards to the new beginning, it appears as though we all need some Gilmore Girls in our lives.

* * *

Luke Danes- father, husband, son in law, stepfather, and business owner and now, the head of the Danes-Gilmore family. A week has managed to slowly crawl by since the death of Richard, but from Luke's opinion, nothing has appeared to change. He wasn't expecting the wounds of death to heal overnight but yet he was at least expecting some form of sanity to begin to appear in his wife.

Lorelai, the only reason he has been able to stay as calm as he has been. While managing to run a business, take care of three emotionally drained children, run a household and plan a funeral, his wife was the one thing that was keeping him motivated. Luke was aware of the fact that although Richard had his disputes wit Lorelai, he was still her father and his death was taking a bigger toll on the woman than he ever anticipated. Lorelai had been splitting her time between both Stars Hollow and Hartford, keeping Emily from the edge of insanity as well as managing the funeral arrangements as best as possible. If she could do it he was just as capable.

The kids were a different story. Attempting to help three young children grapple with the death of a man who so heavily influenced their lives was something Luke was never prepared for. Considering they never knew his parents, Richard and Emily were all they had. Even though Luke and Richard may have had their qualms at times, the man was still the grandfather to Luke's children and that was something he never took lightly. Forcing Eli, Bryce and Stella to move on so effortlessly from a death that trampled their hearts was something he could never do, he must be patient.

That is how he found himself here, at Miss Patty's ballet studio, studiously watching his usually vibrant daughter cautiously pack her ballet bag for the day. While she was only six years old, the death of Richard hit Stella the hardest. After a long talk with her teacher Luke and Lorelai jointly decided that the best way to handle her grieving process was to allow her time. They began to read her books about heaven, peace and moving on in remembrance, anything to make the process easier. Time heals all wounds, which has easily become the Danes family mantra.

"Stells? Ready to go? I have to swing by and pick up Eli from practice before it gets dark and the bigger kids get to use the field." He awkwardly leaned against the wood covered wall, crossing his arms in anticipation of a quirky response.

Carefully standing up and swinging her fuchsia bag over her shoulder Stella shrugged, "I guess so Daddy" extending her tiny hand towards her father, allowing him to engulf it with his massive paw.

The sky was bright, just like it had been all week. After the treacherous rainfall of last weekend the sky had parted and the sun began to shine. Bouncing off the hood of the beat up pickup truck, the sun illuminated his daughter's somber expression as Luke lifted her into the car; gently strapping her into the zebra printed car seat. He wasn't used to this quiet child that had overtaken the body of the chatty, vivacious daughter he was raising. Pushing the fear of Stella being more depressed than anyone had ever anticipated, Luke softly stroked his daughter's chestnut locks. She would be all right.

* * *

It had been almost 24 hours since Lorelai had been home to see her children, she had just been overwhelmed with her fragile mother and has managed to become her primary caregiver. Oddly enough, the past week hadn't been too bad with the woman, the usually demanding Emily Gilmore had quieted down since the loss of Richard, losing the twinkle that she once possessed. Even though Lorelai still dreaded the insults of her mother as of lately they had been few and far between. Since noon that day, the elderly woman only managed to elegantly insinuate Lorelai's incompetence at properly educating her children, and has instead taken to bed with classical musicals. Giving herself a minute in the car, Lorelai took a deep breath and stretched fake smile across her face- anything to give the kids hope for brighter days ahead.

"Luke! I'm home!"

"On the porch. Grab the ketchup before you come out," making her way through the disaster formally called her home, Lorelai managed to find not only her husband, sweet children, but also a bottle of ketchup (presumably swiped from the diner). "Thanks Lorelai, I made the kids hotdogs and Bryce refuses to eat his unless it includes the works" throwing a glance over at a petulant looking Bryce, who was scowling at the barren hotdog placed in front of him.

Making her way around the table, kissing each child on the top of the head, lingering jut long enough to smell the comforting scent of their shampoos. Through the entire loss of her father, Lorelai has come to fully appreciate the wonder of the three, actually four, lives she has brought into the world. Even though Rory wasn't with her right now and their relationship still lies in limbo, her love for her wayward daughter has managed to grow in leaps and bounds since the previous weekend. Luke and Lorelai had yet to truly discuss the issue of Rory, let alone how they were planning to handle her appearance at Richard's funeral seeing as though the kids were bound to ask questions. For right now Lorelai had been pushing the thought of her eldest child out of her mind and trying to handle the three she had in front of her.

As of right now she has been failing miserably.

* * *

A/N:I know this seems weird and an unusual chapter, but I needed a way to transition from past writing to present day. Side note, I really don't know where I'm going with this story now so this should get interesting. THANK YOU to all of you who waited so patiently for this chapter, I hope it was slightly worth it. Please give me any sort of feedback! I'll surely need it with a story like this, particularly after so long. Thank you loves!


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